A young couple from Hampshire got engaged on the same day that they completed the purchase of their new home at Redrow Homes Yew Gardens in Waterlooville

A young couple have double cause for celebration after prospective groom, Ben Smith, 31, proposed to his fiancé, Jade, 29, on the same day that they completed the purchase of their first home, a Redrow Homes development at Yew Gardens in Waterlooville.

Ben decided to make the experience extra special and planned the moment carefully by making excuses to stop Jade from seeing the new home before completion day, when he was able to show her their new home and then get down on one knee and propose to her.

Commenting on the grand gesture, Ben said: “My girlfriend hadn’t seen our new home and somehow, I had successfully made excuses as to why she couldn’t before completion day. It was great to be able to give her the first surprise tour once everything was ready and then propose – luckily, she said yes!”

The couple now have a busy and exciting few months ahead as they settle into their new home and plan for one of the biggest days of their lives.

Yew Gardens is a collection of three and four bedroom homes in the semi-rural location of Waterlooville. Drawn from Redrow Homes’ Heritage collection of Arts and Crafts-inspired house styles, all of the homes have traditional architecture and benefit from modern interior to suit modern life.

Ben and Jade purchased a four bedroom detached home, The Shrewsbury, using the government backed initiative, Help to Buy. Having previously lived in a two bedroom semi-detached house in Havant, they were keen to upsize to a bigger property which would accommodate both their personal and professional needs.

Ben continued: “It has been great to find a home that ticks all the boxes. I work from home, so space was really important as one of the bedrooms needed to be used as an office. We also both have cars so parking and a garage was a must.”

Ben enjoys keeping active and is interested in interior and garden design so is looking forward to doing up the garden and having the first BBQ, he said: “Our hobbies include playing tennis, mountain biking and photography so the surrounding location is also ideal for us, particularly with the countryside views and nearby South Downs.”

“I have owned houses by three other housebuilders and not one has come close to the attention to detail and build quality you get with Redrow Homes.”

The development is in a picturesque location with surrounding countryside views and South Downs National Park just a short drive away. The large cities of Portsmouth and Southampton are nearby and the home is within walking distance of a major supermarket and Waterlooville’s bustling town centre.

Mark Vanson, Redrow Homes (Southern Counties) sales director, said: “Buying a home is an eventful time so we were very impressed to hear of Ben’s success in keeping the home under wraps, along with an engagement right up to competition day. We wish both Ben and Jade all the best in their new home and planning the big day.”